Happily Ever After
by Ongaku no Usagi
Summary: Once upon a time, there was a Knight named Suzaku and a Princess named Euphemia. They met, fell in love, and lived happily ever after. The end.
1. Once Upon a Time

Happily Ever After

A Code Geass Fanfic

_by Ongaku no Usagi_

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Code Geass. It belongs to Sunrise, directed by Taniguchi Goro, and written by Ichiro Okouchi. This applies to all following chapters of "Happily Ever After"

Chapter 1: Once Upon a Time

Amid thunderous applause, wild cheering and thousands of happy faces, Suzaku gazed upon the flushed, smiling countenance of his princess. She must have sensed his gaze, or else he was constantly on her mind, for when she glanced over, her eyes caught his and they each grinned, her blushing and lowering her pretty eyelashes.

At last, peace was within their grasp.

There was a sudden hush as that masked man in black, known enigmatically only as "Zero" stepped forward to meet the third Princess of Britannia. To everyone's surprise, during their exchange, the Princess smiled, held out a hand to the infamous man. He hesitated, and then grasped it in his own gloved grip.

And—after that—after the formation of the Special Administrative Zone of Japan with Zero in leadership—there followed no more terrorist attacks, no more persecutions from Britannians to Japanese, now called by their rightful name, no more retaliations.

At last, Suzaku was free to woo the Princess Euphemia, to make the bond between Japan and Britannia evident to the watching world.

The problem was, Suzaku still had very little idea how to woo said fair lady.

Lloyd-san was of very little help. "Ask Euphemia-sama out on a date? Haha, hahahaha. Well, I can give you about a million things not to do..."

Suzaku smiled knowingly. Clearly, still no luck with his blond-haired fiancee, who very delicately, very gracefully, but very firmly, seemed to afront his advances from every side.

Cecile-san sighed as she descended from the platform at which she had been working. "It's simple, really, Suzaku-kun," she said, sending an exasperated look in Lloyd-san's direction. "First, Euphemia-sama obviously already adores you." Suzaku blushed as he looked away, a little at odds with the notion of the beautiful, pristine princess "adoring" a lowly, patricidal teenager like himself.

"Second," she continued, coming close enough to force him to look her in the eye, "You are the son of the former Prime Minister of Japan, not to mention the pilot of Lancelot, and Euphemia-sama's personal knight. Not only are you qualified, you are suitable, by blood, relation and chivalric intent, to unite with her.

"Finally," she placed a hand on his shoulder, "sometimes a girl just wants to have fun, you know?" She winked at him.

He sighed. "How can any girl like her have fun with a soldier—a geeky soldier, nonetheless—like me?"

Whack! Lloyd'-san's hand came down in a mild karate chop on his head.

"Ow..." he said, wincing and covering his head.

"If you don't stop acting emo right now, Kururugi Suzaku, I will send divine punishment again!" He raised his hand again threateningly.

"Okay, okay." Suzaku backed away warily. Cecile-san merely laughed.

"Just try it, Suzaku," she said.

Fortunately for him, Euphemia was, and always had been, the delightfully straight-forward type of pink-haired young lady who knew what she wanted and determined to get it. Quite aristocratically, of course.

"Suzaku," she said to him over ice-cream that evening, "did you know there's a ball at the palace next weekend?"

He was dangling his legs from the height of the roof and dropping random small objects on the heads of dignified persons passing below, who, although astonished, did not lower themselves enough to gawk unceremoniously upwards to find the offender. They just stiffened, muttered under their breath, the gentlemen usually adjusted their hats and the ladies their skirts, and continued.

He grinned. Nobels were always the most fun to pick on. But it was not the straight-laced Suzaku's idea; oh, no, it was all Euphie's scheme, as always. Besides, if they were caught, he could always just claim that he was performing his knightly duties of protecting the princess.

Who just now happened to be dangling her own legs in a very unladylike way, right next to him.

"No, I hadn't heard that," he answered, turning jade-green eyes to meet her own lavender ones. She caught her breath when he looked at her like that, but she quickly controlled herself. After all, it wouldn't do to lose her cool in front of this handsome, serious-eyed young man next to her. Not even when her next shot landed straight in the cocktail glass of a betailed gentleman drinking with a considerably younger woman on the parapet.

She did, however, give a silent high-five to her knight and partner in crime next to her in celebration.

"Yes, and unfortunately, I am required to attend, with or without a date," she said.

"Oh."

"With or without a date," she repeated.

Her knight still incorrigibly dense, she elbowed him hard in the shoulder.

"Ow...why does everyone hate me today...Oh!" Something clicked. "Euphemia-sama, would you give me the honor of allowing me to be your escort to the ball next weekend?"

"Why, I'd be delighted, Knight Kururugi," she said, mocking a curtsy by lifting the edges of her skirt slightly. Then she hit the young lady friend of her previous target on the back of the head with a maraschino cherry.

They heard a soft "Oh!" and then, "Are you alright, my lady?" from the gentleman.

They smothered their giggles, mostly unsuccessfully.


	2. The Rose

Chapter 2: The Rose

The next morning, Euphemia di Britannia woke early, being accosted by a bright ray of sunlight slipping through her eastward facing window.

She groaned and flipped over, pulling the pillow over her head. "Nyup, nyup," she smacked her lips, wrinkling her nose as she did so. Clearly, pistachio flavored ice cream was a bad thing to eat before going to bed.

She idly considered ignoring the taste invading her royal tastebuds, but eventually her sensitivity got the better of her, and she, with a little stiff effort, flung off the sheets and threw her legs over the side of the bed.

As she stretched, something caught the corner of her eye as somewhat out of place.

She got up and moved cautiously closer.

No wonder the sunlight had awoken her; the curtains were slightly parted. Before her mind could wrap around the idea of having a midnight snooper, she noticed it—a single pink rose with a soft babysbreath spray, in an elegant vase, there on the window seat.

She smiled and leaned in to sniff; as she did so, she noticed a tiny, pink paper crane lying next to the vase. She picked it up and pulled the tail, as Suzaku had shown her once, to see the wings move.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, as the delicate crane unfolded in her hands.

On the inside was written a message, in beautiful, but undeniably masculine, handwriting.

"Beautiful Euphemia" (it read) "your smile is like a thousand sunrises."

She blushed slightly as she put it back down, and a far off smile grazed her features. How very dear of him; rather than a flamboyant display of garish flowers, he had brought only the one delicate rose. But...exactly how had he gotten the rose into her bedroom?

Then something struck her.

Hurriedly, she opened the window and looked down. Four stories down, a guard halted and waved up at her. She waved back and closed the window.

"You've got to be kidding me, Suzaku," she murmured to herself. "You climbed up four stories in the middle of the night, without getting caught, carrying a crystal vase, just to deliver a rose?'

She blushed again, much redder this time. It was the most romantic thing anyone had done for her yet, and she had had plenty of romantic advances.

That afternoon, she took a couple of body guards with her to meet Suzaku at the Lancelot base.

Cecile-san had to regretfully inform her that Suzaku was in a training session and it was likely he wouldn't finish until very late that evening.

"I'll wait," said Euphie stubbornly; but unfortunately, Cecile-san wasn't joking.

She sighed as she was summoned back to the royal headquarters before he got back.

The next morning she woke up later than the previous day and remembered the rose. Eagerly, she got up and trotted over, expecting another pink rose with the first one. That always seemed to happen in romantic stories, right?

To her disappointment, there was still only the one rose. She sighed as she turned around and called her maids to come help her dress. Of course, Suzaku had been out late last night; naturally he wouldn't have had enough energy to climb the wall again.

She selected a dress that Suzaku had told her she looked particularly sweet in. As the maid helped her tie the laces, she felt something drop from the bodice to the floor.

She stooped down, to the dismay of her maid, and picked up—a second pink rose and crane. She smiled absentmindedly as she inhaled the sweet scent that only the pink roses have. This time, she deliberately unfolded the crane.

"Gentle Euphemia, no garment could ever hide your beauty."

She blushed a little. Scandalous, Suzaku! Ah well, it's not like he had that on the brain; he only meant to compliment her.

Alas, the day was completely booked with royal, meaning boring, activities. Thus, she missed her knight yet again.

And so it continued that week, up until the ball.

The third rose was brought in on a tray with breakfast ("Sweet Euphemia, your lips are more delicious than the most scrumptious cake.")

The fourth was waiting on the rim of her bathtub ("Pristine Euphemia, what waters are pure enough to cleanse your lovely skin?")

The fifth accompanied a velvet box with a delicate necklace ("Dazzling Euphemia, your eyes sparkle more brilliantly than the most expensive diamond.")

The sixth, and final, arrived the morning of the ball. She could smell it from the moment her eyes opened; it was placed softly on the pillow next to her face.

She placed it in the vase with the others and opened the crane.

"Lovely Euphemia," it said, "how I wish I could watch you wake up every morning. Alas, a mere rose must have the privilege."

She sighed. It had been almost a week since she had met with her knight. She groaned. Too long! She also, wished for a day when it wouldn't be a rose gracing her pillow, but the brown locks of her beloved.

The day passed, not a moment without a thought about him. Because she would see him this evening; he would take her in his arms, and they would dance...

She was dressing when one of her maids brought in a tray with a note, inscribed on silk paper, of a sort which she'd never seen before. She frowned slightly as she took it in her hands and opened it.

It said, simply, "Meet me in the gazebo in the garden, the one surrounded with pink roses."

She held it to her heart.


	3. The Ball

Chapter 3: The Ball

He was waiting for her, there, leaning against one of the walls of the gazebo, smiling very slightly as he played with the petals of a pink rose. His eyes lifted and landed on her as he heard her approach.

There was the pink-haired princess of his heart-desire, outlined by soft yellow moonlight. Her gown, a filmy amethyst creation of silk drapes and glittering crystals, outlined her perfect figure with graceful beauty.

She stopped, a little uncertainly, and he, just as uncertainly, walked towards her, slowly, hesitatingly, but eagerly.

The distance closed, they looked at each other with shining eyes. A sweet, warm silence, the sound of a garden soaked in moonlight, surrounded them.

At last he offered his arm to her, saying shyly, "Shall we?"

Just as shyly, she took it, and he led her to the waiting limo.

They both winced immediately at the stuffy, haughty scene. Exchanging guilty smiles with each other, they entered, acting up a little to blend in with the long-nosed aristocrats around them, though neither really knew how they were able to keep the giggles buttoned in.

Especially when they passed the betailed gentleman from the week before, this time with a new young lady. In fact, Euphie feigned a small fit of coughing when their eyes met, and the gentleman gave her a warm smile and bow. The main purpose being, of course, to duck into the safety of Suzaku's chest, where she could let out the tormentuous giggle that had been bubbling up until it exploded.

Suzaku was a little annoyed that he had no outlet.

The music was playing, hazily; the conversation swirling about them in well-mannered laughter and snide comments made with smiles. Servants wandered around with drinks and hors d'veures. Suzaku collected a pair of drinks and handed one to Euphie. Mischief in their eyes, they both took a sip.

And sputtered.

One would expect royalty to be familiar with such drinks, but alas, neither of them had been introduced to such demonic beverages before (although Suzaku, truth to be told, was rather fond of sake). It burned the throat, it made the eyes water.

"What the heck?" Suzaku said, wiping his mouth with the back of his sleeve in a very ungentlemanly manner. Behind him, a pair of nobels remarked on the ill-manners of the "11". "Really, you would think Euphemia-sama would have better taste than to bring that along," a plump lady mentioned.

Euphie, unfortunately for said plump lady, heard every word. With a look that could have quailed the heart of a general, let alone a gossiping middle-aged woman, she hate-burned holes into the woman's brain.

Then, as if it had never happened, she took Suzaku by the arm and whisked him off to the dance floor, depositing their drinks on a table as they did so. She put her hand on his shoulder, his on her waist; grasping each other's free hand, he half-led, half-followed her around the ballroom.

"That woman..." she hissed venomously. "This is why I hate these functions; these pompous, hypocritical people who put others down just to rise higher themselves...Ugh!"

She purposely trod on the dress of said lady as they passed, earning an ugly glare and most likely more comments about how the "11" was rubbing off on the Princess herself.

Suzaku grinned a little. More likely, it was her impetuousness rubbing off on him.

They waltzed to the music, coming from the string quartet in a corner. Her eyes were shining up at his, enjoying the physical contact more than the dancing. He knew he certainly was. After all, the Princess and her Knight were so often carefully monitered, and anyway they were both so constantly busy with their duties, that opportunities where they could be this close were exceptionally rare. Not to mention Suzaku's natural chivalry limited him to the mere contact of hands.

Yet here they were, actually able to touch each other in such a way. For once, he began to understand the point of such an awkward, snooty social event as a ball.

With swift maneuvering, he led her out to a quieter portion, behind curtains, on a balcony where the two couples already occupying the place exited soon after they entered.

Thus finding themselves alone, Suzaku took advantage of the rare moment to draw her closer to him. She gasped as he released her hand and snuggled his free arm around her waist, pulling her in so that their faces were mere inches apart. A deep rose blush stained her cheeks and he noticed how her breathing escalated. If her heart was pounding even half as hard as his, it must be attempting furiously to escape her chest.

They stopped swaying to the music, but continued holding onto each other, drinking in the feeling of closeness. "Euphie," he breathed, and tremblingly reached out a hand to stroke the side of her face. She closed her eyes as he did so, only opening them when the slow path his hand took from her brow to her chin had ended, his hand dropping back to his side.

She smiled at him for a minute, and then, in a pure moment of Euphie-like spontaneity, hugged him full force, her arms around his neck, his arms around her waist.

They stayed like that for a few minutes, desperately soaking in each other's warmth, until the rustling of the curtains behind them alerted them to the rest of the world's presence, and they broke apart as another couple entered, just staring at each other with huge smiles on their faces.

Cornelia could not help but raise an eyebrow as she surveyed the two hugging on the balcony. Athough by nature she disapproved thoroughly of her younger sister's relationship with the Japanese Prime Minister's son, she had been warned by Schnizel to allow Euphie to take her own course.

After all, it couldn't really be helped, could it? Then she softened at the look on Euphie's face when the two broke away. Truly, Kururugi cared for her. The devotion was obvious.

She sighed and accepted the situation.

**Authors Notes: **Okay, guys, normally I don't do this, because I hate whiny authors of mediocre stories who say, "I ain't publishing anymore until you review!" =P And I will continue to update. But, c'mon. Almost 300 hits in one week, and only two reviews? That's taking it a little too far, don't you think? Please review? Hate, love, whatever. I know this story isn't the best, but it's not the worst either. Arigato!


	4. The Kiss

Chapter 4: The Kiss

"Suzaku?"

"Mm?" He looked up from the book he was reading and focused on his princess. "What is it, Euphie?"

She seemed to think for a minute. "Do you want to go on a date?"

"Eh?" His full attention was focused on her as he dropped the book altogether. "What...what do you mean, Euphemia-sama? There was the ball last month...and that tea a couple of weeks ago...and the play we went to see on Sunday..."

She snorted and punched him on the shoulder lightly. "No, silly, not that sort of thing. Where's the romance in a situation where you surrounded by plastic smiles? No, no, let's go somewhere, just the two of us, someplace most people would be appalled that royalty would go to, and make silly faces and eat junk food and just...just have fun! Please?" She looked great-big Euphie puppy eyes at him which were ten times more potent than even the master apprentice of puppy eyes could make.

He sighed a little. "But...shouldn't we tell your sister or brother where we're going? And won't they send people with us?"

She grinned. "It's not the first time I've sneaked out, as you will recall. Anyway, seeing as my Knight will be by my side the entire time, it's not like anyone can complain, right?"

Any and all reasoning Suzaku could ever use were completely useless against the arguments of Euphemia di Brittania. His mind kind of turned to jelly when he was around her, anyway.

He finally gave his ascent.

Half an hour later, they were shedding their servant's disguises and settling in on the train ride.

"Ano...Euphemia-sama..." began Suzaku, peeling off a brown stick-on mustache.

Euphie swatted him with the over-sized hat she had just discarded. "We're out here, just the two of us, so call me Euphie, understand?"

Suzaku smiled and put a hand on her shoulder. "Euphie, exactly what did you have in mind for our...'date'?"

She frowned slightly, leaning forward to plant her index finger in the dimple of her chin. "Mm...I hadn't really thought of that yet...but..." she looked up at him with mischeif impending, "let's do something we're definitely not allowed to do!"

A mini thunderstorm suddenly formed around Suzaku, articulating his shock. "What...what?"

"Suzaku, stop that. You're getting raindrops in your hair."

He mentally pushed the thunderstorm away. "Euphie, are you really sure? After all..."

She snorted. "C'mon, exactly what is the worst that will happen?"

Two hours later, they were running for their lives from the two pit bull guard dogs that were giving chase and bellowing at the top of their lungs.

"What...is...the...worst...that...will...happen?" hissed Suzaku between breaths, uncharacteristically angry for once.

"Tree!" gasped Euphie, pointing ahead.

It helps to have your own person knight-and-semi-super-hero around. Suzaku grabbed his princess around the waist with one arm and swung up onto a low branch with the other.

"C'mon, higher," Euphie said, already starting to climb.

It was fortunate that the tree was large and bushy, for a minute after they had successfully hidden themselves among the foliage, a gruff voice came from below, directed at the dogs, which were still barking madly around the tree.

Suzaku felt his heart stop. Then, from the pink-haired girl beside him,

"Nya! Nya!"

The man below snorted and cuffed one of the dogs. "C'mon, it's just a dumb cat," he said, forcefully grabbing each dog by the collar and dragging them away.

They waited a full ten minutes before climbing down and hightailing it out of there.

"Whee! That was fun," Euphie half-panted, half-laughed as they climbed back through the hole in the wall. Suzaku dearly wanted to reprimand her, but refrained.

Instead, he deadpanned, "Oh, yes, lots of fun. Let's go have some more fun. Too bad there aren't any more Black Knights wandering around. We could have a blast," drawing out the irony of the last word as much as possible. He walked wearily over to a large stone and sat down. On the other side of the wall, it was quite peaceful. They were at the edge of a wood, with a few farmhouses around, but no sound but birds and a far-off stream for miles.

He closed his eyes and leaned back, catching his breath in the fresh air. Sunshine glinted through the treetops and sprinkled his forehead and shoulders.

He felt soft warmth beside him and opened his eyes to see his silk-haired princess sitting beside him with sweet laughter in her amethyst eyes. "Kururugi Suzaku, I love you, but you can be such a square."

His jaw dropped open for a minute, hardly hearing the second part of what she had said. "What...what...say that again..."

"I said you're a square."

"No, no, the first bit." He leaned closer to her, placing both hands on either side of her on the rock. Mild surprise was in her eyes as she shied away. "Suzaku..."

"Say it. Please."

She glanced down, eyes uncertain, longing, but afraid at the same time. He cupped her chin with one hand and forced her to look into his eyes, faces mere inches apart.

"I said...I...love you."

He closed his eyes as he brushed his nose gently against hers, one side, then the other. "I love you, Euphemia di Britannia."

She gasped, but, there was very little time between that soft intake of breath and what came next...

As his lips found hers, it was chaste, gentle, and slightly awkward. Amateurish, really. Their lips clasped each other's, lingering until they pulled apart, just so slightly. Suzaku tilted her head more to the side and brought his lips to hers again, more inner skin touching, moister, deeper. It was not long before his tongue ventured enough to slide carefully along the crease of her mouth, until it opened, granting entrance.

What seemed like hours was only minutes, but every second was delicious.


	5. The Wedding

Chapter 5: The Wedding

Moments like that first kiss were rare, they discovered, for finding time alone was very difficult in the palace. Kisses were stolen, hurriedly, here, there, oh, so very briefly. Like most couples, however, they were not nearly as nonchalant as they thought; the time came, after both Cornelia and Schneizel had witnessed a sneak kiss or two, when Euphemia di Britannia's guardians decided that something must be done.

Forbidding the two to see each other was out of the question. They had read enough Shakespeare to be familiar with that. No matter what, they would manage to see each other, possibly with harsher consequences.

Allowing things to continue as they were was becoming increasingly embarrassing. If there was a single person in the palace who was unaware of what was going on, it was because they were blind-deaf. It didn't seem like the rest of the world would be too much behind, either; not if the recent broadcast of what they thought was a sneaky peck was any indication of what would follow.

There remained, therefore, the option of making the whole thing completely public.

"WHAT?" Both teenager's mouths dropped open unceremoniously where they stood before the heavy mahogany desk of Cornelia di Britannia.

She sternly tapped her desk, not letting her gaze drift from either of them. "I said, Prince Schneizel and I have decided to arrange a marriage between the two of you for the summer of next year, if not sooner."

"But...but..." sputtered Suzaku, quite taken aback by the whole prospect.

Euphie, being more familiar with her sister, stepped forward boldly and said, "Nee-san, we're still only teenagers! Do you really expect...?"

Cornelia leveled her gaze coolly at her younger sister. "That's a suitable age among royalty to get married. Just because Schneizel and I have been too preoccupied in war and politics to arrange a union with anyone, doesn't mean that the same applies for you. If anything, there is more responsibility on your part to fulfill the obligation of establishing good terms between Britannia and Area 11...that is, Japan. You have the proper upbringing and personality to establish such a union, and for the bearing and raising of children for royalty members of the Britannian Empire."

She rose, stepped around the desk and faced the two of them. "And you, Kururugi Suzaku, have the proper capabilities of not only protecting the Princess from harm, but fulfilling your obligations to her without fail. I don't need to inform you of the consequences of neglecting responsibilities to the Third Princess of Britannia."

Suddenly, all formality gone, she stepped forward and pulled Euphie into a warm embrace.

"Besides," she whispered, "you deserve to be happy, Euphie."

The next day, the royal engagement of Kururugi Suzaku to Euphemia di Britannia was announced to the world.

Almost two years later, Euphemia woke up to sunshine, soft pillows, and the scent of roses.

It was her wedding day, a day full of soft light and gentle thoughts; as she opened her eyes, she noticed immediately why she had smelled roses so strongly.

While she had slept, Suzaku had filled her room with vase after vase of pink roses, on every available horizontal surface. As she stepped out of her literal bed of roses, she crushed rose petals under her soft feet. When she looked back, she spotted the tiny pink crane on her pillow.

"My own, beloved Euphemia, tomorrow you will wake up, not to roses, but just me. I hope you will not mind the substitution."

She smiled happily. Evidently he hadn't forgotten.

Her wedding dress was voluminous, the color of fresh cream with a pink silk sash, of the purest satin and lined with lace and pearls. Overall, she thought it was a hassle, heavy and bulky and a pure pain to put on. But when at last, to the grunts and efforts of four maids and two tailors, the dress had finally been fitted onto her lithe body, she donned the delicate pearl tiara Cornelia had given her, and waited.

As she waited, she thought fondly back on every moment that had passed, from her first meeting with Suzaku to now.

That fall from the window had not been accidental; nor had she really expected him not to catch her. She remembered the moment when she had seen his face on the television screen. It was immediately obvious from his eyes how innocent he was, even though everyone at that time had used him for their scapegoat and forced their twisted justice on him. But Zero...no...Lelouch...had saved him. And he had saved her. That first glance into his jade-green eyes was the last thing she needed to fall in love with him. Concern, yes, worry, yes, but passion! Pure, selfless passion, passion for a world of peace and gentleness.

And then there had been that moment, that crystallizing moment when she realized that she had to tell him he loved her, regardless of the consequences, because she knew that this time, it was only her who could save him.

She had already known he loved her back. She didn't need his confirming words to tell her that.

But...he had come so close to dying, and her whole heart was terrified, because a world without Suzaku was not worth living in, not worth fighting for. She needed him there, next to her, doling out peace with a benefactorial hand. War was not the way to win the world; love was, and he had shown her that.

And he continued to show her that.

When at last it was time, she descended the curved staircase.

A royal wedding is always a lavish thing, but even Euphemia caught her breath as she entered the transformed ball-room. Thousands of guests waited, row after row of flower-bedecked seats, candles, sparkling chandeliers, pink curtains falling from the arched ceiling...and him.

Him, there, at the very, very far end, too far away. A rush of emotions spread over her, flooding her with liquid golden pathos. There were tears and smiles, gasps from everyone as she slowly walked towards him.

And at last, her hands were in his, his eyes were so, so dear, shining down on her like that.

And they both remembered the day before and smiled.

For neither had wanted this kind of flourish, and, at the spur of the moment last night, they had secretly eloped, with only the priest, Lelouch, Nunally, Lloyd, Cecile and Cornelia, and a filmy pink silk dress to witness the event.


	6. Happily Ever After

Chapter 6: Happily Ever After

Months dropped softly, like pearls from a string onto velvet. Strings added onto strings; years came, went, in the soft light of love that, despite the resemblance in beauty to that of a candle flame, yet did not flicker as that light.

And while Suzaku and Euphemia were loving each other, they continued to work for peace and justice. And the world, seeing their example, willingly participated.

Yet true peace is within one's household, with one's family, and this is what Suzaku cherished every morning, as he woke next to his beloved and inhaled the sweet scent of pink roses that seemed always present around her.

Even though their royal status required that they live in a palace in the state of Britannia, they still undertook to steal quiet minutes together, letting tenderness stabilize the chaotic moments of the world around them.

It has now been ten years since their first meeting, and to celebrate, they have brought their children with them into the secluded mountains near Matsumoto. There, away from duty and law and all the solemn things which necessitate the turning of the political world, they take the opportunity to lay aside regality and act like teenagers once again.

She giggled as she splashed her bare legs in the fern-edged creek. "Brrr!" she exclaimed, "it's cold!"

He laughed as he sat next to her, completely disregarding the wet spots he knew would appear on his hakama, and slipped an arm around her waist.

"Silly Euphie, haven't I told you? You'll have to get used to cold water if you want to live in Japan."

"Naruhodo," she said, for his benefit, "of course; the purest waters are cold."

They were both splashed in the face at that moment as their son, Shinkirou, came running up right through the cold water. Behind him, his younger sister, Yume, came wading, breathless and laughing. Apparently the cold water didn't affect either of them.

As evening stained the cloaked skies in bright orange and red, the four of them watched it from the traditional patio of the Japanese-style house, enjoying jokes and laughter and green tea under the gentle light of paper lanterns.

Suddenly, Yume gasped and pointed. "Father," she said, getting up quickly enough that she lost her balance and flumped right back down where she'd been sitting, "what's that little light?"

He smiled at her. "It's a little fairy, Yume. It comes out here in Japan to say goodnight to the day."

"Why is it all lit up?"

"It carries a little lantern, and flits from tree to tree to greet them with the first light of night."

"Really?" Her little five-year-old mouth was agape in wonder. Next to her, her wise seven-year-old brother rolled his eyes.

"No, not really," Shinkirou said. "It's just a bug that gives off light from his butt."

"Shinkirou," said Euphie in a voice that clearly said, I will not tolerate that kind of language.

But Suzaku had already vanished and reappeared from inside. He held out a small glass jar to Yume. "Do you want one to keep you company tonight?"

"Yeah!" she exclaimed, grinning at him. "Come on, Shinkirou," as she pulled her brother off the patio and began running towards the flickering light.

Beside him, Euphie laughed softly and leaned her head against his shoulder.

Suzaku thought to himself, watching her, watching his son and daughter trying to catch fireflies, that surely, this was the way to gain true peace, for himself, for his family, for the world. Not by violence, not with warfare or fancy weapons, but by pure love, and unquenchable friendship.

**And they all lived happily ever after. The End**

**Warning: If you like this ending, do not continue reading.**

**...**

**...**

**I mean it, this is the last chance.**

**...**

**Have you stopped reading yet?**

**Okay, if you're sure you want to continue, read on.**

He took her hand, smiling, more wrinkles, but no less love, inherent in his eyes. "Euphemia," he breathed, and then leaned forward and kissed her.

When he leaned back from the kiss, he asked her, still smiling, "Why does it seem that every day since we've been married the sun has been shining?"

"Silly Suzaku," she chided softly, "that's how it is in dreams and fairytales."

"What?" he asked, and woke up.


	7. The End

Chapter 7: The End

His eyes opened suddenly in shock as the ghost of a dream slipped from his memory, clinging, for a minute, wanting him to sleep, begging him not to end it.

The screams and gunfire fully brought him to his senses, and he arose with a gasp.

Terror...gunfire, blood, oh, God, no, don't let this happen, not when we were so close, so close to happiness, to peace!

He ran, avoiding shots aimed in his direction, dodging, running, blindly.

Must find her...must find out...what went wrong...

Something in the back of his mind said it was her order, her order that all of his fellow Japanese were dying around him, slaughtered. How...HOW?

He found himself in the Lancelot, somehow, and he glided over the battle scene, searching. Where...where...?

There.

In tattered, blood-stained dress, Euphemia di Britannia, the third Princess of Britannia, the love of his life, was wandering around. The fact that she was holding a gun did not seem to register as possible.

He dove down, to save her, rescue her...like the knight he was...

And was too late.

BAM...

...

The shot rang through the air.

She fell.

Zero...he held the gun...Zero...why...could it be...never...no...

And she was falling...

And the heart monitor went flat...and she was gone...

And there was nothing left...no...not a single thing, because Euphie was gone, and there was no more meaning to anything, there was no reason to breath, except...except...

He gritted his teeth, he clenched his fist. Two silver drops fell along the sides of his nose, meeting in the crease of his lips, iron-taste of blood mixed with the saltiness, before dripping as one from his chin.

Euphemia di Britannia was dead.

The day-old SAZ was obliterated.

As destructive as a hand crushing a chrysalis.

He would make Zero pay.

He would destroy him if it took every breath he drew in from now to the end.

He would destroy him. He would destroy him. He would destroy. Him.


End file.
